2023 Team Building Begins with Thrilling Pickering

NEWS Saturday 3rd December 2022, 7:00am

by PR Team

  Edinburgh Monarchs

Monarchs are delighted to announce star man Josh Pickering will be returning to Armadale to dish out the thrills again next summer.

It will be Josh's sixth season in the blue and gold, while he admits that he was as concerned as everyone else what the future held for the Monarchs as last season came to its conclusion.

"It is great that Monarchs will come to tapes next season. I am very happy to be back because it is a great club with great supporters. I will give it my all next season as I always do and I am looking forward to it.

"The way I want my career to go is upwards so I want to win some trophies with the Monarchs in 2023."

In his five seasons with Monarchs so far, Pickering's average has increased every year and has almost doubled since his initial season in 2017. Does he still think that he can progress further?

"Absolutely," he says in his usual confident fashion, "I'm only just getting going! I don't think I have made it yet to any great extent, though I will be pleased to be starting at number one next season.

"I can push on from there and push the team along with me."

Josh will be riding for Gniezno in Poland next season, teaming up once more with Sam Masters. He was pleased to hear that the heat 13 5-1 from himself and Masters against Oxford in June was recently elected Race of the Season at Armadale by a large margin.

Josh also expects to be announced as a starter in the Premiership shortly. He has improved every year in that league also, having spent a long time awaiting his chance.

He had his 26th birthday the other day, coinciding precisely with Australia reaching the last 16 of the World Cup. "It was great that the Aussies qualified and Denmark didn't, because I have Freddie Jakobsen out here staying with me at the moment, as well as Alex Brady!"

"I've been enjoying myself, training, and we had a good family dinner on my birthday."

As far as racing goes, that has been delayed with the NSW Championship postponed from this weekend which Josh confirmed was, "due to rider availability. It's on 17th December now. I'll be ready for that."

2023 Monarchs line up so far: Josh Pickering.